Ivermectin in Children

Ivermectin is the chemical label for the prescription brand-name drug Stromectol. Ivermectin's original use is in the treatment of parasitic worms, such as the nematode Onchocerca volvulus, which causes onchocerciasis and leads to blindness. Until ivermectin was introduced to parts of Africa, where the parasite is prevalent, Onchocerca volvulus had a devastating impact on the economy. More recently, ivermectin has been shown, when used topically, to be more effective and less toxic against head lice in children than many standard remedies.

Sgnificance

• According to eMedicine, about 10 million people are afflicted with head lice annually in the United States. Head lice are becoming drug resistant in North America and elsewhere. This is why some health providers are turning to ivermectin. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found that when ivermectin is used as a topical remedy for head lice, it's effective in 100 percent of cases, reports Medical News Today.

Resistance

• During the past 20 years, head lice has become resistant to many of the treatments that were previously effective against the parasite, causing a worldwide problem. Most remedies for head lice have contained the botanical insecticide pyrethrum, which is now no longer as efficacious. The concern has been that the few effective remedies on the market are too toxic for children.

Features

• Ivermectin has its basis in a natural compound. It's created as a byproduct of fermentation by bacteria called Streptomyces avermitilis that live in the soil. Its most common use has been in the treatment of intestinal worms and mites. The drug kills these parasites by attacking their muscles and nervous systems.

Protocol

• J. Marshall Clark and his team in the Veterinary and Animal Sciences Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst tested ivermectin on pyrethrum-impervious head lice from a group of south Florida school children. The drug was added to a mixture of shea butter, olive oil and water to create a cream that could be spread on the scalp or skin.

Results

• Clark's team achieved 100 percent success in killing newly hatched lice within 10 minutes of applying the ivermectin cream compound. The medication does not affect the unhatched eggs, however. The drug's efficacy saves children from undergoing multiple treatments with more toxic remedies. Also, ivermectin is not readily absorbed into the skin, making it safer as a topical treatment.